Wichita finds itself at the heart of a precedent-setting court case with statewide implications for political protesters. It involves a city law that prohibits “engaging in noisy conduct tending to reasonably arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others.” But what is noisy conduct? Who defines it, and does it involve what protesters are saying, or how they say it? Kansas Supreme Court justices are grappling with difficult questions about disruptive political expression and whether the government’s efforts to limit confrontations between citizens have a chilling effect on free speech. The case grew from 2020 demonstrations where participants were arrested for disrupting traffic and drawing on sidewalks with chalk. Wichita protesters chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “Defund the Police” as renewed calls for accountability and systemic change sparked demonstrations around the country after the police killing of George Floyd.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
